Comparative study between using natural and synthetic zeolites for the improvement of soil salinity and crop yield

The effects of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite, NZ) and synthetic zeolite (Y, SZ) on salinity and the presence of the harmful salts in the soil were compared on Raphanus sativus L. Nine soil treatments were studied: 1 (control), 2 (NaCl), 3 (Na2SO4), 4 (NZ), 5 (SZ), 6 (NZ + NaCl), 7 (SZ + NaCl), 8 (NZ + Na2SO4), and 9 (SZ + Na 2SO4). Five radish seeds were planted in each pot. Each treatment was repeated 10 times. After 50 days under equal conditions some parameters consisting of the number of leaves (NL), total leaf area (TLA), total fresh weight (TFW), total dry weight (TDW), root fresh weight (RFW), air fresh weight (AFW), root dry weight (RDW) and air dry weight (ADW) were determined. Results showed that adding either NZ or SZ to salinic soil (treatments NZNaCl, NZNa2SO4, SZNaCl and SZNa2SO4) increased AFW, TFW and TDW. Using both NZ and SZ in normal soil increased the weight of plants by developing AFW. Further NZ was more effective on soil with NaCl than SZ. © 2007 Taylor & Francis.